Help For Parents with children Born uable to eat

Tof-oa schools and nursery’s

In doing this website what I find hard to understand, is the lack of understanding from people who claim to be qualified to look after children. 

learn about your rights as parents

This page is for the odd but interesting websites, that you may find very interesting, even helpful, bits that I have been sent, or stumbled across.

All different websites for you to go read and learn things from.

You are the Parent, and sometimes its OK to ask for help we hope you find this page interesting.

Disabled children Help Sites

In doing this website what I find hard to understand, is the lack of understanding from people who claim to be qualified to look after children. When a Parent comes to you and says I have a child who struggles to swallow and will need help eating, why do I then hear that its a fight to get the help needed for that child? Take it from me now 53 when food sticks panic sets in when I was a child all I needed was to know someone who understood was close by me, not too much to ask, is it?

In time the child will learn how to overcome this like I did and others like me, but until that time arrives, YOU as qualified adults need your wits about you. Because what you have on your hands is SERIOUS, not to be a cost-cutting move, because, at the end of the day, it’s your duty as the qualified person to make sure that child is taken care off. If you read my story your read it’s like swallowing though a time glass type tube. Now being Adults I guess you been drunk, and in being drunk you understand throwing up, or choking on food, you as adults still don’t like this, so put yourself in a child’s body, trying to deal with having food stuck every meal, the chance food could pass into their lungs, try putting yourself in the shoe’s of the Parents asking you for your help in looking after their child.

I can be harsh like this because I have lived this, and this is one reason this site was started, to bring about change for the Children born with these conditions. Or think of the paperwork needed to explain why a child in your care ended up in a hospital or worse died in your care.

The youtube video here talks about Children not like me choking on food.

Disabled children Help Sites

If a Parent comes to you asking for your help please take notice, this child, their child needs your help, DONT brush this request under the carpet. Because at the end of the day, your being paid to look after the welfare of this child. If anything was to happen to that child you as the qualified adult would have to live with the outcome.

This is a time Glass. This is what a child you have in your care has, food will stick on the top of the narrowing area, this is a quick way of allowing others to understand what you are dealing with, this is how my Doctors explained this to me when I was growing up, if a child struggles to swallow, inside may look like this, my advice to you is have, patience and show understanding.

The above drawing shows the op to join the two half’s, giving the tube a time glass look

Always ask the Parent or Parent’s their advice, after all, said and done, they know the child and their condition better than anyone, even some Doctors.

Hi Steve, wow! Of course, you can.  It would be an honor to help other parents…. we are it this together. I’ll paste it below.

From the Mother who wrote this, she has also given me the OK to put here on this website.

Hi guys…. I’ve just written a HUGE info sheet for my boy’s nursery staff and wondered if it might help anyone to use as a template? Please feel free to copy and edit as you need to.
Here it is….

We’ve made an information sheet (OK, a lot of sheets!)  how it affects the child, and what to do if things go wrong whilst he is eating.

This is an outline of what you could write yourself’s

He had an operation at one day old to enable his tubes to look and function the same as an average person. (Add your Child’s Details here)
(Your Childs Name Here) was NG tube fed (a tube up the nose, going directly into the stomach) for the first four months of his life as he didn’t have the ability to suck and swallow like other babies have. We had to teach (him-her) to suck and drink.
His oesophagus was very fragile and a bit narrower than it should have been so for the first two years of his life we only fed him very smooth pureed food and bite/dissolve food on the advice of his surgeon.
When he was (age) he had three operations to stretch the oesophagus as it was especially narrow and he was finding it difficult to swallow his food.
Unfortunately, the third operation went wrong and the oesophagus tore! He was in a critical state in intensive care and we very nearly lost him !! (Winter obviously doesn’t know or remember any of this… phew!)
Because there was a tear in the oesophagus any food, drink or saliva ran out of the oesophagus and into his lung cavity. Which resulted in him having 2 x chest drains as his lungs were unable to expand properly.
We spent eight weeks living in the hospital and waiting for the tear to heal. From December 2014 to January 2015 he was NG tube fed again (with the tube going straight into the stomach) giving the oesophagus plenty of time to heal by itself.
It eventually healed in January and we could start feeding him food orally again in February 2015 (when he started back at nursery). So Winter was nil by mouth for four months. At this point, we had to start him again on the very smooth pureed food that he had when he was a baby.

The last 18 months…… (your dates here)
Since February 2015 We have been working very hard with Winter’s food to work him up from puréed food, bite/dissolve food (like crackers and wotsits) to very small pieces of soft ‘normal’ food to eating the bigger, small pieces that he eats now. We have had to be very cautious about how fast we go because we don’t want to risk him having to have another operation.

Now… (December 2016)
We are absolutely delighted that (Your Child’s) Name is able to eat most of what his friends have at nursery and his consultant is keen for him to improve at his own pace. However, we must understand at this stage, that (Child’s name) oesophagus is not the same as ours.
It is slightly narrower and almost a bit funnel shaped.

If any other (your child’s age) swallows something that is too big for them it will naturally just be swallowed down into the stomach. But if (child’s name) were to do that then that the larger pieces of food get stuck at a narrow part of the oesophagus. Likewise, if (Child’s Name)was to put a big spoonful of tiny pieces into his mouth this would also get stuck in the narrow part of the Oesophagus.
Imagine dropping a handful of peanuts into a funnel…. If you drop them in one at a time they will go through with no problem, if you drop in the whole handful there will be a big blockage!

Do’s and Don’ts
Do you make sure he has a drink with his meal at all times? Don’t allow him to feel rushed when he is eating. Don’t let him race his friends! Don’t let him put loads of food in his mouth in one go. Don’t say to him ‘we don’t want you to get a sticky’! Do use encouraging language like ‘big boys chew all of their food up’. Do make sure he isn’t stressed when he is eating. If he has been crying before dinner, make sure he is totally calm before he starts eating.

What is a ‘stickie’?
A sticky is when food gets stuck within the oesophagus. Don’t forget (Your Child’s Name) has only been eating proper food for just over (Your Time i.e Months), not ….. 4 years like his friends. So he’s chewing practice is that of a two-year-old, not a 4-year-old. Sometimes, (Name) is able to get rid of a stickie himself now. It will either drop down into the stomach or he will bring it up whilst he is eating. Rolling the child is meant to help also, but do with care.

What to do with a stickie….
(He-she) will generally ask for a drink at this point, DON’T LET HIM HAVE A BIG DRINK! Just a little drink. Sometimes the drink will help the sticky to go down, other times it will help him to bring it up. Now, bear in mind that the stickie is stopping anything including drink from passing it. If he has a big drink then potentially drink could sit on top of the stuck piece of food and fill up to his windpipe and spill over into his lungs. This is definitely not what we want to happen!!! The Child will go blue and you would need to call an ambulance!

Sometimes the sticky will go down the oesophagus into the stomach. If that happens, he’ll just want to carry on eating, which is absolutely fine. Or he won’t want anymore….also fine.

A Big Stickie…..
Sometimes, we have experienced a total blockage with a sticky. You will only generally notice this if he has a drink and the drink and comes straight back out. Sometimes he will just bring up saliva (which just looks like an egg white foamy consistency) this means that there is a total blockage in the oesophagus and nothing is able to pass down into the stomach, even saliva!

What to do with a Big Stickie….
The most important thing is not to panic. Also not to panic (Your Child’s Name). He manages to stay very calm when this happens but he could easily get worried if everyone around him is worried. If a big sticky occurs, the oesophagus will swell around it. And the only thing that can really get rid of the sticky is to wait for the swelling to go down. (unfortunately, this means a 24-hour wait without food and drinks for him, which is very difficult when he is hungry and thirsty. After 24 hours we have to go to (Your Hospitals Name) because he will start to suffer from dehydration) if it is a very big sticky then this would be followed by an operation to remove the stuck food!

(Child’s Name) has got rid of stickies before with just waiting for a while and relaxing. So if you suspect a Big stickie then phone a parent to inform them. But it is absolutely fine to go off and have fun and play as normal. This might, in fact, get rid of the sticky. BUT DON’T LET THEM HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO EAT!
Just let him have a sip of drink every 20 to 30 minutes to see if it goes down or not but remember… No big drinks!
If he is still bringing a drink up 2 hours after he has got the sticky then phone his Parents/Grandparents to come and collect him. ( there are some things we can try at home that might help to shift the stickies)

Coughs and Colds
Just before Child gets a cough or cold, he usually gets a sticky a few days beforehand. Coughs and colds can affect his swallowing as there is swelling of the throat and extra saliva to a contender with. So when he has a cough or cold we need to either take extra care to chop his food finer than usual. Or to omit them completely and go with maybe a soup instead, until his cold clears up.

Problem foods (Dec 2016)
Pork, Beef, ( he generally only has these slow-cooked at home), Raw vegetables, hard fruits, Pasta, Bread. You could cut these in 6mm x 6mm pieces or omit. I’ll update the problem foods with the next terms menu (Add any you have to)

Thank you for taking the time to read all of this. I hope it all makes sense? (From a Mother of a Tof Child in the UK)

Welcome to Child Law Advice

http://childlawadvice.org.uk/

Know your rights in the UK

As a parent or carer of a disabled child, you might be entitled to certain benefits and services that can help you, your child and your family.

http://www.cafamily.org.uk/know-your-rights/

ACE Advice and Information Service

Our information is based on current education law and guidance and covers state-funded education for children aged 5-16 years in England only. Our advice and information aim’s to give parents up to date knowledge of law and guidance as well as practical and tactical advice on how to work with their child’s school to resolve any concerns.  Our advice covers a wide range of educational issues.

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/

Special Educational Needs

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice-about-education-for-parents/special_educational_needs?

Getting the EHC Plan right

All parents want the best for their children. Some children may need more help than usually can be provided by schools and this help must be set out in a Statement of SEN or the new Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan

Before an EHC Plan is written, the local authority will ask your child’s school and other professionals to assess your child and write reports.

If the local authority decides to issues an EHC Plan you have the right to make comments and to make a request for the school you want your child to attend

An EHC Plan says what special educational help a child must be given and where they must go to school.

If the local authority decides to issue an EHC plan they must produce a draft EHC plan. Parents must be given 15 days to suggest changes to the draft EHC plan and express a preference for the school they want their child to go to. The local authority must ensure that the whole process (from request to final EHC plan) is completed within 20 weeks.

An EHC plan names the school that the child must go to. Most children with EHC plans go to mainstream school.

The parent normally has a right to send the child to a mainstream school. However, the school must be able to meet the child’s needs and the effect of the child on the education of others will also be a crucial factor.

The parent can appeal to the First-Tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) against a decision not to issue an EHC plan or against the educational contents of the EHC plan, including the school. The parent must consider mediation if they wish to appeal.

http://www.ace-ed.org.uk/advice-about-education-for-parents/special_educational_needs/getting-the-statement-right-a-practical-guide-to-parents-legal-rights?

Disabled children Help Sites

RBs were established with the primary aim of providing a full-time education for children who have self-excluded from mainstream school because of severe bullying or other trauma. The aim is to raise a student’s self-esteem, enable them to come to terms with what has happened, help them learn how to deal with difficult situations, and get them back on an academic track in order that they return to education. It is a ‘transitional intensive care’ Centre where children come for a period of time, typically three terms. It is not a place where children come with the intention of seeing out their statutory education.

About 300 children and young people have attended RBs since 1996. The one feature they have all had in common is that they had stopped going to mainstream school because they were frightened, felt they would be ‘picked on’, further humiliated or fearful that they would be assaulted. In many of the cases, the children had been out of school for weeks, months and, in some cases, years. This situation of non-attendance had occurred maybe as a result of a being bullied because they had suffered a trauma such as rape or assault, a family tragedy such as the death of a parent, their parents’ messy divorce, or they had missed a considerable amount of school already because of an accident or severe illness such as cancer.

Once they stop going to school and believe it is their fault, they can develop mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, self-harm, social phobia, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts; over 50% of the children at RB Centres have seriously thought about suicide or have attempted it.

Our students have varied widely in age, background, ability, and interests. On occasion, we have taken ten-year-olds and young people of 16 or 17, but most of the students in our Centres are between 14 and 15.

Some come from single-parent families, others have step-fathers, some have siblings, half-siblings, and step-siblings, others are only children. Some have been ‘high-flyers’, some have found academic work difficult. Some love creative subjects, some are musical, some read-only factual books, some do not read books at all. We have had children from the independent sector and children from low-income homes, from migrant families and from established local families. We have had redheads, blondes, mixed-race, gay, disabled, looked-after, adopted, fat, thin, tall, short children.

Children who self-exclude from mainstream school or attend irregularly because of trauma brought on by bullying or some other event or circumstance and satisfy our criteria are the type of child for whom RB was set up, who benefits and who succeeds.

CONTACT DETAILS

 http://www.redballoonlearner.org/

https://www.charitycheckout.co.uk/1109606/donate

what to do if something stick’s

This might help it comes from a Parent from the USA and been tried by a Parent in the UK, we have been asked to put it on this website.

If you get a child that gets food stuck, try putting them on the floor and rolling them.

Comment from UK Parent 

she felt something had stuck and she wasn’t going to eat any more breakfast, but then she did the drop and roll and ate some more, whatever works hey.

I’d rather try something and see if it works than not try at all.

~

This was taken from a Question raised by a Parent on our Face-Book Group

Hi…seeking advice on food getting stuck. I have an 18-month-old baby girl who has had food stuck twice and thrown it back up. We had an incident last night at dinner. Something was stuck and she coughed a lot. We gave her water and kept encouraging her. She finally gagged and seemed to throw up, but then swallowed that. She seemed ok after dinner and played happily until bedtime.  But, again threw up, it was clear fluid. Curious if this could mean something is stuck??

Answer back From other Parents

Try fizzy water, coke or pineapple juice syringe it in if she won’t swallow it herself. If you think it’s still not shifted get her checked out.

Fizzy pop

This can work for most Children my advice is if your not happy phone for help.

Most dyslexics will exhibit about 10 of the following traits and behaviors. These characteristics can vary from day-to-day or minute-to-minute. The most consistent thing about dyslexics is their inconsistency.

Take the TEST with your Child

Test for Dyslexia: 37 Common Traits

Information for Parents

Your baby is able to communicate with you long before he or she speaks a single word! A baby’s cry, smile, and responses to you help you to understand his or her needs. Learn how children communicate and what to do when there are concerns about delays in development.

Language Development: 1-Year-Olds

Early in the second year, your toddler will suddenly seem to understand everything you say. You’ll announce lunchtime and he’ll be waiting by his high chair. You’ll tell him you’ve lost your shoe and he’ll find it. At first, his rapid response may seem a little unusual. Did he really understand, or is this just a dream? Rest assured, it’s not your imagination. He’s developing his language and comprehension skills right on schedule.

This giant developmental leap probably will alter the way you now talk to him and converse with others when he’s around. For example, you may edit conversations held within his earshot, perhaps spelling out words you’d rather he didn’t understand (as in, “Should we stop for I-C-E C-R-E-A-M?”). At the same time, you’ll probably feel more enthusiastic about talking to him, because he’s so responsive.

You may find yourself using less baby talk, no longer needing high-pitched singsong monologues to get his attention. Instead, try speaking slowly and clearly, using simple words and short sentences. Teach him the correct names of objects and body parts, and stop using cute substitutes such as “piggies” when you really mean “toes.” By providing a good language model, you’ll help him learn to talk with a minimum of confusion.

Most toddlers master at least fifty spoken words by the end of the second year and can put two words together to form a short sentence, although there are differences among children. Even among those with normal hearing and intelligence, some don’t talk much during the second year. Boys generally develop language skills more slowly than girls. Whenever your child begins to speak, his first few words probably will include the names of familiar people, his favourite possessions, and parts of his body. You may be the only person who understands these early words since he’ll omit or change certain sounds. For example, he might get the first consonant (b, d, t) and vowel (a, e, i, o, u) sounds right, but drop the end of the word. Or he may substitute sounds he can pronounce, such as d or b, for more difficult ones.

You’ll learn to understand what he’s saying over time and with the help of his gestures. By all means, don’t ridicule his language mistakes. Give him as much time as he needs to finish what he wants to say without hurrying, and then answer with a correct pronunciation of the word (“That’s right, it’s a ball!”). If you’re patient and responsive, his pronunciation will improve gradually.

By midyear, he’ll use a few active verbs, such as “go” and “jump,” and words of direction, such as “up,” “down,” “in,” and “out.” By his second birthday, he’ll have mastered the words “me” and “you” and use them all the time.

At first, he’ll make his own version of a whole sentence by combining a single word with a gesture or grunt. He might point and say “ball”—his way of telling you he wants you to roll him the ball. Or he might shape a question by saying “Out?” or “Up?”—raising his voice at the end. Soon he’ll begin to combine verbs or prepositions with nouns, to make statements like “Ball up” or “Drink milk,” and questions like “What that?” By the end of the year, or soon thereafter, he’ll begin to use two-word sentences.

Hand and Finger Skills

 Your baby’s mastery of crawling, standing, and walking are bound to be his most dramatic accomplishments during these months but don’t overlook all the wonderful things he’s learning to do with his hands. At the beginning of this period, he’ll still clumsily “rake” things toward himself, but by the end, he’ll grasp accurately with his thumb and first or second finger. You’ll find him practising this pincer movement on any small object, from dust balls to cereal, and he may even try to snap his fingers if you show him how.

As your baby learns to open his fingers at will, he’ll delight in dropping and throwing things. If you leave small toys on the tray of his high chair or in his playpen, he’ll fling them down and then call loudly for someone to retrieve them so he can do it again. If he throws hard objects such as blocks, he might do some damage and probably will increase the noise level in your household considerably. Your life will be a little calmer if you redirect him toward softer objects, such as balls of various sizes, colours, and textures. (Include some with beads or chimes inside so they make a sound as they roll.) One activity that not only is fun but allows you to observe your child’s developing skills is to sit on the floor and roll a large ball toward him. At first, he’ll slap randomly at it, but eventually, he’ll learn to swat it so it rolls back in your direction.

With his improved coordination, your baby can now investigate the objects he encounters more thoroughly. He’ll pick them up, shake them, bang them, and pass them from hand to hand. He’ll be particularly intrigued by toys with moving parts—wheels that spin, levers that can be moved, hinges that open and close. Holes also are fascinating because he can poke his fingers in them and, when he becomes a little more skilled, drop things through them.

Blocks are another favourite toy at this age. In fact, nothing motivates a baby to crawl quite as much as a tower waiting to be toppled. Toward the end of this period, your child may even start to build towers of his own by stacking one block on top of another.

Milestones during the first 2 years

Children develop at different rates, but they usually are able to do certain things at certain ages. Following are general developmental milestones. Keep in mind that they are only guidelines. If you have any questions about your baby’s development, ask your child’s doctor—the sooner the better. Even when there are delays, early intervention can make a significant difference.

For more on this click the link below:

When milestones are delayed

Delays in language

What your child’s doctor might do

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/Language-Delay.aspx

Plus other help in diffrant area’s

www.barnet.gov.uk/citizen-home/children-young-people-and-families/the-local-offer-and-special-educational-needs/education-in-the-local-offer/education-health-and-care-plans-ehcp.html

EHC (Education, Health and Care) plans

www.ipsea.org.uk/what-you-need-to-know/ehc-plans

Draft EHC plans

www.ipsea.org.uk/what-you-need-to-know/ehc-plans/draft-ehc-plans

All about Statementing  & the New EHC Plans

skybadger.co.uk/school/statements?gclid=CNOfhIaw4McCFRK3GwodJgkNsw

EHCP Assessment: SNJ’s “Get started” Checklist

www.specialneedsjungle.com/get-prepared/

Disability Benefits Centre

www.gov.uk/disability-benefits-helpline

Guidelines for completing Disability Living Allowance forms

www.hemihelp.org.uk/families/supporting_child/benefits_and_legislation/dla_forms/

Children with special educational needs (SEN)

www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/overview

Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/10/contents

NOW YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THIS WEBSITE VERY HELPFUL IN ALL AREA’S

Know your rights Information about your rights as a parent or carer

www.cafamily.org.uk/know-your-rights/

Advice and support Our support for families with disabled children

www.cafamily.org.uk/advice-and-support/

Professionals Find out how we help people who work with families

www.cafamily.org.uk/professionals/

The links below are from Australia But explains a lot of things regarding BORN UNABLE TO SWALLOW.

  http://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/parents-and-carers/fact-sheets/oesophageal-atresia-andor-tracheo-oesophageal-fistula

Tracheoesophageal Fistula and Esophageal Atresia in the Newborn

http://criticalhealthfacts.com/tracheoesophageal-fistula-and-esophageal-atresia-in-the-newborn/

www.cafamily.org.uk/know-your-rights/benefits-and-tax-credits/disability-living-allowance/

Benefit and tax credit rates,

calculator’s estimates are based on the information you supply to give you an idea of your potential entitlement UK

www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/

Information on, benefits and grants and links to other useful sites. UK

patient.info/

Find out about Disability Living Allowance below UK

www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

If your child was like me, they might be slow at talking? The link below might help you helping them to move forward.

http://teachmetotalk.com/2008/01/24/what-works-strategies-that-help-toddlers-learn-to-talk

NO Tube ( We can help your child learn to eat without a feeding tube)

http://www.notube.com

 

Look on the link below this to find out more from with in this website about EoE and EE

http://www.birth-defect.org/srapbook-page/

Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE or EoE) is an emerging disease that is increasingly being recognized among pediatricians, internists, allergist, gastroenterologist (GI specialists), and other physicians. It is a condition that affects the esophagus and has been rising in incidence over the past decade.

EE Symptoms may include:

  • Poor weight gain (failure to thrive)
  • Refusal to eat
  • Vomiting often occurring with meals
  • Heartburn
  • Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
  • Pain or discomfort with swallowing (odynophagia)
  • Food becoming lodged within the esophagus (food impaction)

A VERY INTERESTING READ

http://www.eosinophilicesophagitishome.org

Allergy Evaluation

A central component of the workup of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE or EoE) is the allergy evaluation. A number of studies have demonstrated that allergies when children with EE who have been placed on a diet of only a hypoallergenic elemental formula, in almost all cases they have rapid resolution of their symptoms, and normalization of their esophageal biopsies. This indicates that food allergies appear to be the main cause of this disease.

Although elemental formula diets are highly effective, they can be quite challenging to stay on, so the role of the allergist is to try to identify which food allergens may be triggering a patient’s disease so that they can be removed from the diet. There are 3 main ways in which food allergies can be detected in EE.
– Skin prick testing
– Blood allergy testing (eg. RAST)
– Atopy patch testing

http://www.eosinophilicesophagitishome.org/eosinophilic_esophagitis_diagnosis/eoe_diagnosis_allergy_testing/

BioGaia develops, markets and sells probiotic products with documented health benefits.

Constipation
The incidence of constipation among children varies between 7 and 30 percent depending on the country. A full 40 percent develop symptoms already during the first year of life and these often persist for a long time. Many children with constipation have continued problems as teens and adults.

http://www.biogaia.com

National information, advice and support service for carers in England

www.nhs.uk/carersdirecta

Website offering tips and advice in relation to kids’ behavior

www.kidsbehaviour.co.uk

Website offering advice regarding parenting after a separation or divorce

www.theparentconnection.org.uk

Employment law advice and solutions to individuals suffering from disadvantage or detrimental treatment in the workplace resulting from pregnancy or childbirth

www.babylaw.co.uk

Association for Children with life-threatening or terminal conditions and their families

www.togetherforshortlives.org.uk

At Sleeping Angels, we are all specially trained funeral facilitators who are compassionate and empathetic, patient and understanding.
We can’t change what’s happened but we can make the process of laying your baby to rest less stressful.

www.sleeping-angels.org.uk

Google CEO’s Condition Spotlights Vocal Cord Paralysis and Its Treatment

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/google-ceo-page-vocal-fold-paralysis/

Parents of Down’s Syndrome voluntary support group

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk

LDA Learning are in partnership with associations such as ADDISS, Nansen, Afasic, Dyslexia Action and the Dyspraxia Foundation. They have resources and expertise for parents and teachers which cover the following conditions: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Autism, ADHD, Handwriting and Fine Motor Skills, Gross Motor Skills.

www.ldalearning.com

UK charity for people with autism (including Asperger syndrome) and their families. Information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for people with autism.

www.autism.org.uk/

Home-based therapy programme for children with developmental delay, brain injury due to birth trauma, accident, genetic conditions or chromosome abnormalities

www.brainwave.org.uk

The National Association for Special Educational Needs

www.nasen.org.uk

Independent School Search – Find and Compare Schools UK and Worldwide

www.isbi.com

National on-line resource and 24-hour access to a Health Visitor

www.healthvisitordirect.com

One for the kids. Go to the www.bbc.co.uk homepage for all BBC info (news, education, and entertainment.) If you’re in Hospital anywhere in the world

and you have the internet, try this out.

www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc

useful website

raisingchildren.net.au/articles/pip_homemade_baby_food.html

BOOKS 

“The Marathon” by Kerry Sheeran (available on http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Marathon-Kerry-Sheeran/dp/0991509706) is the true story of a mother and father forced to face something they never imagined could exist for their child. Follow their journey filled with extremes in marriage, parenting, and faith as their daughter faces EA/TEF head-on in Boston. A generous portion of the proceeds benefits Boston Children’s Hospital- so that families like ours can benefit from the ground-breaking research & care they provide.

www.kerrysheeran.com

New Book from The USA to help explain to Children and Parents being born unable to swallow, shipped out across the world

http://www.eatefbooks.com/

FREE MAG’S

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Non-Operative Correction for Long-Gap Esophageal Atresia

Boston Children’s Hospital

About 1000 infants a year in the states are born with their esophagus disconnected, which is called Esophageal Atresia (EA). The standard operation for esophageal atresia is Foker process, which requires several thoracotomies for placing traction sutures on esophageal ends, followed by primary anastomosis. There have been attempts to develop non-operative method for correcting esophageal atresia, especially by using magnetic force. Hendren et al. explored electromagnetic bougienage method to correct long gap esophageal atresia. Zaritzky et al. presented a method of magnetic compression anastomosis, which took advantage of large attracting force between two rare-earth permanent magnets.

In our research, a non-operative correction method for long-gap esophageal atresia is proposed. A magnetic-tipped catheter was designed for bougienage and compression anastomosis. The magnetic tip comprises syringe mechanism with an outer barrel, which functions as a fluidic stand-off. The pressure of the fluid could be measured externally so as to estimate the tip force. The catheter moves back and forth by friction drive (long stroke), and the syringe mechanism at the tip also generates more displacement (short stroke).

A pair of the magnetic catheter is put into proximal and distal esophageal pouches respectively. They apply cycling stretching force on esophagus to stimulate it to grow. Once the esophagus grows in sufficient amount, the fluid in the magnetic syringe could be drawn off for magnetic compression anastomosis; the large force between two magnets squeezes the esophageal tissue, necrosis and regeneration of the sandwiched tissue leading to the compression anastomosis.

A HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED NONOPERATIVE MAGNETIC TREATMENT FOR LONG-GAP ESOPHAGEAL ATRESIA, very interesting

http://web.mit.edu/2.75/projects/DMD2011-5231.pdf

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